I happened to stroll into a local Radio Shack and saw this (new product) on the shelf.
http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2032115&cp=2032054
Its kind of like the superradio, but its got digital tuning, memories, etc. $49. I did not get chance to listen to it because they didnt have the batteries (6 D cells) installed, and the AC cord was not out. The "Radio" Shack was busy and I didnt have much time, so I didn't bother to ask for "help" from one of the CellPhone/Ipod Shack employees. Its kind of hard to make out in the photo, but the AM Wide-Narrow slide switch is just below right of the display. The sign on the shelf said it was a "long range" radio.

Unfortunately, our friends in Fort Worth are not keeping up the manuals section of the Web site like they used to (which was amazing, stuff that had been out of mfg for years was still in there) plus also until recently their manuals usually included schematics. But none such found for that puppy.

I think on recent designs, wide/narrow is a dismal choice between 3 or 4 and only 6 khz. And nowadays with digital tuners, one can no longer offset-tune by a couple kHz to snag some highs.

DX freaks may be interested in the quirky Degen DE1103 (also sold domestically as Kaito), as it tunes MW in 1kHz increments and is fairly sensitive (dual conversion, MW sens is pub as 1mv/m). Mail-order (with shipping) runs about $70, or a Kaito-badged unit (you get a warranty that doesn't involve sending it back overseas) is $100. Still probably the cheapest digital dual-conversion with BFO avail.

Tunes 100kHz to 30mHz (though sensitivity falls off above 20), and has BFO (but not SSB; tuning 1kHz off and adjusting BFO is best one can do). FM is offered in stereo on headphone and line-out.

Here in the RF triangle, scanning BCB means toggling the hi/lo sens switch repeatedly as one slogs through the band.

Unfortunately the current rev does not switch the internal loop to external ant. jack for MW (my early model does, though there is a tuning trick to get at it in the current ones), and a third-party vendor makes a coil-coupler to connect an ext inductively to its loop.

http://www.radiointel.com/review-degende1103.htm

For those interested in a "super radio" in the $50 range (big, sturdy, D-cell powered), the Tecsun R333 looks good: http://www.radiointel.com/review-2005digital.htm V-Com is still selling them, but it's shipped from China (price $24 plus $21 shipping, which means returns aren't economical, but this seller has a very good reputation http://stores.ebay.com/V-COM-COLLECTIONS).

I happen to have a Tecsun R9702 (reviewed in the second link above), analog but also dual conversion with digital display. Not quite as sensitive but pocket-sized (with FM stereo earphone output). The radio of my childhood dreams, 40 years later. Unfortunately it is already out of production, but a used one might be found; two years ago one could be mail-ordered for $35 plus shipping.

"DX freaks may be interested in the quirky Degen DE1103"

Another radio from the same mfg. that eliminates many of the quirks, is the Eton/Grundig E5/G5:

http://www.radiointel.com/review-etone5.htm

About $150, but much easier to use than the Kaito/Degen 1103. Best FM DX that I have ever seen in a portable!

Another offering that is cheaper than the 1103, but with most of the same features (including wide/narrow switch, double conversion and BFO) is the smaller Kaito/Degen 1102:

http://www.radiointel.com/review-degende1102.htm

Like the 1103, it is somewhat quirky, requiring that you select certain "pages" of memory to activate some features, such as BFO, 1khz tuning.

Good info, but we want locally available AM radios with wide audio bandwith for casual listening to KISN, KBPS, and some of the news/talk stations that do transmit good sound quality. Also, AM stereo if available. DX is good feature also, if it doesn't take avay from the main goal.

"The "Radio" Shack was busy and I didnt have much time, so I didn't bother to ask for "help" from one of the CellPhone/Ipod Shack employees."

62KGW,
If you were in charge of Radio Shack, wouldn't you sell the most profitable items like cell phones and iPods? I know I would. I'd also keep the Radio Shack name for the sake of branding.

Thanks, Jr. Tech. I almost got the 1102 when the 1103 came out and I feared contending with the weird page thing to get SSB. (Instead I got the weird volume-on-same-knob-as-tuning thing. Russian hackers actually published a mod to swap the BFO-which is a thumbwheel about where one would expect the volume to be--and the volume function on the tuning knob. I wear bifocals now; I'm not going in there...)

Ah, yes, the E5, which the 1103 was the prototype for. Rumored to become the 1104 but instead came out as Eton/Grundig only.

Sorry, 62kgw, when I saw "super radio" I just assumed DX, and generated one of my lumbering detailed posts. I guess for a good MW portable the ears are the best test.

Back in the sixties before portables had any oomph or much sensitivity, people would take a good transistor car radio, put it in a box with a handle and a whip, and run it off eight C's. Blaupunkt even made some pull-out, carry-along car radios (popular in VW's; Calhoun used his for KBOO's first studio air monitor), this sounds like what you'd want, if you could find one.

About 25 years ago Panasonic made a shortwave portable (it evolved over about a decade) that had a 2-way speaker system and separate treble/bass controls (as well as the bandwidth switch you're seeking). Took four or six D or C cells and had great, room-filling sound. Built-in transformer (took a shaver-type cord, no wall wart). I had one for about a year (1979) but sold it to a shipmate (sigh) for liberty cash. You might find a scuffy one on eBay for a reasonable price; it seems prices on golden oldies like those have held up over time.

Shane, I dunno what the Shack's biz model is any more (they might not either), but their highest profit margins are on those little parts on the cards in the back, and they only make a couple bucks on a high-ticket item. Perhaps the clerks' commish is based on the total ticket and therefore they push the stuff that doesn't really make RS's biggest profit (though the big stuff may indeed provide the cash flow they run on). What was more surprising is after reading about this "secret" I discovered if one looks at the volume pricing sheet (used to be in the back of their catalogs, dunno if any more) one could easily see and figure their margins on the various retail price ranges.

I found it hilarious when went in to buy a plug or a battery and the grinning cashier (who also seemed to also think it funny, but was obliged to ask): "Can I interest you in a fax machine today?" Ha.

Jeffreykopp:
Is this the Panasonic that you are talking about?

http://www.radiointel.com/review-panasonicrf2200.htm

Mine uses 4 "D" cells, but I don't see a tweeter, so it might not be the radio that you you are talking about... but it is a fine receiver, even by todays standards.

Omigod, the RF-2200, that was my baby. And on Ulis' site, too; I'd seen his before-restoration page, but not the "after."

Holy cow, I think I paid $150 or $200 for it at the exchange (was it $300 list?) and they're going for over $200 today. (And I sold mine for $100 beer money? *Sob* But it was useless onboard as sitting out on the fantail in the Aleutians was quite uncomfortable, and they discouraged our going out on the weather decks alone at night.)

Well, it's apparently out of 62kgw's bracket (if he's hoping to get something for $50) but from what I read it's still considered the MW DXer's choice, and the fidelity is excellent. (Also note that Russ had to restore the one he bought.)

I had vaguely remembered something with a black metal grille and a small tweeter in the corner, but that most have been some other radio.

Gallery of past SW portables at http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/portdisc.html

My dad has (or had) a Panasonic RF-series MW/SW/FM radio similar to this one, except that it had a red LED frequency readout for shortwave only. It did not have the rotatable MW loopstick. The digital frequency display was actually frequency counter that read out the local oscillator frequency - 2MHz. This was a dual conversion radio on shortwave using 2MHz as the first IF and 455 kHz as the second IF. To some extent, this was thwarted by the fact that the two-section MW variable capacitor was used on shortwave; the image rejection became somewhat poor at the higher frequency bands. However, I do remember listening to a lot of cool stuff on that radio as a kid.

With regards to the Radio Shack radio: after reading a few of the reviews on the Radio Shack site, I would definitely try out the radio at the store before buying (or be prepared to return it). It appears that some of the radios have quality control issues (mistuned IFs and poor sensitivity). One user reported that on the wide mode, he had to tune up 10 kHz to get good reception (i.e. KXL would become "760").

Panasonic RF 2800/2900?

http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/portable/rf2800.html

Bet the LEDs (or the blue/green fluorescent on the 2900) really killed the battery life, which is excellent in the old 2200.

OBTW, the SW 1st IF on the 2200 is 1.985 Mhz.

One of my many regrets over the years was selling my McKay-Dymek AM-only tuner. It was a single rack-space in height and came with a kit for freestand use. Not only did it have a 'wide-narrow' switch, but a "cats-eye" tuning light!

And it worked as cool as it looked. ...damn.

YES, it was an RF-2800. There were switches that allowed the dial light and LED display to be shut off in order to conserve the battery. The tuning indicator also doubled as a battery meter. The scale was printed backwards so that zero signal corresponded to full deflection of the meter movement.